Former All Blacks full-back Mils Muliaina insists that the Chiefs have shown Scott Robertson the way after their impressive start to the Super Rugby Pacific campaign.

Clayton McMillan’s men currently top the standings following four victories in five, including excellent triumphs over the Crusaders and defending champions Blues, who they have already beaten twice.

More pertinently for Muliaina is the way they have done it by playing a style which he believes Robertson should follow.

The 44-year-old also praised the Blues for their brand of rugby in the 32-31 defeat in Hamilton, although they have tended to be far more conservative under Vern Cotter.

The All Blacks way

“I’m loving what we’re seeing,” he said on The Breakdown. “What I’ve seen is the ability to be able to take the ball in hand, get into your groove, and this is what we’re really good at as Kiwis. Getting on top of the game, turnover ball and we’re away.

“Is this a vision for the All Blacks coaches to say, ‘hey, let’s not go too defensive, let’s not try and kick and play the European style. Can we adapt this style when we’re playing for the All Blacks?’”

Muliaina was joined on the panel by fellow All Blacks great Justin Marshall, who was in agreement over New Zealand rugby’s main strengths but questioned if it could be implemented effectively at Test level.

“The rest of the world know that is where we are so very good: counter-attack, playing spontaneous heads-up type of rugby, so what they want to do is not give you that opportunity,” Marshall said.

“I absolutely agree, that’s where we thrive: getting the ball, turnover off a poor kick, counter-attack – that’s where our players come into their own.

“Who will allow them to do that? If I’m playing the All Blacks and coaching against them, I’m like ‘no way we’re allowing that back three any time or space’.”

Jeff Wilson then chimed in, asking: “Hold on, are you telling me that’s the way we’ve been playing for the last four or five years?”

Marshall responded, claiming that the All Blacks’ rivals are preventing them from playing that free-flowing style that New Zealanders are renowned for.

“No, because we’ve not been allowed to. We’ve been allowed to in Super Rugby and then we go to international format and they just compact and suffocate them with defence, and you can’t get that rhythm,” he said.

Scott Robertson changes tune on All Blacks eligibility after talks with ex-Springboks coach

Wilson disagreed with the former scrum-half, however, and believes that Robertson’s game plan is naturally conservative.

Robertson’s ‘forward-dominated’ blueprint

“I think their blueprint is different to that right now. I think their blueprint is very much forward-dominated. It’s physical dominance, working on scrum, working on lineout, all the things that used to be very, very successful for the Crusaders,” he said.

“If you’re a coach, that’s what you do. You’ve been successful playing a certain way. Do you think that playing the way that I believe we’ve been playing is going to beat Ireland, South Africa, England consistently or do we need to make the shift?

“We’re all talking about what might be different under this new regime; have we seen anything to convince us – selection I’m talking about as well – [that they’re going] to play a little bit more?

“Or are the opposition going, ‘do you know what, the All Blacks want to have a go at us up front now and we love that’.

“When I look at that (Chiefs), I see France. It’s what France do, right.”

France won the Six Nations title on Saturday for just the second time since 2010 and they did so with panache, scoring the most tries by a team in one Championship.

They surpassed England’s tally of 29 in 2001 by touching down 30 times, while wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey overtook Jacob Stockdale’s individual record in the Six Nations era by going over eight times in five matches.

“We’ve actually adopted a game where we think we can win using a northern hemisphere style, but France do not play like that. They’re playing a Super Rugby-type game,” Muliaina added.

“But the skill set and the skill level, and the players they’ve got to be able to play that game, is next level. I’m hoping the All Blacks coaches are going to give feedback and this is where we’re going to go to.”

READ MORE: Kieran Read makes bold All Blacks call on Crusaders star despite departure rumours

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/all-blacks-great-claims-chiefs-providing-new-zealands-vision-as-scott-robertsons-northern-hemisphere-style-lamented